Calibrachoa plant named &#39;kleca09172&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new  Calibrachoa  plant named ‘KLECA09172’ particularly distinguished by red flower color, an early flowering time, an upright to cascading growth habit, and a uniformly mounded plant habit, is disclosed.

GENUS AND SPECIES

Calibrachoa hybrid

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘KLECA09172’

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety ofCalibrachoa, botanically known as Calibrachoa hybrid and hereinafterreferred to by the variety name ‘KLECA09172’. The new variety wasdiscovered as a seedling resulting from a cross conducted in June 2005in Stuttgart, Germany. The female parent was the proprietary Calibrachoaplant ‘X 456’ (unpatented), while the male parent was the proprietaryCalibrachoa plant ‘X 170’ (unpatented).

The new variety was first propagated via vegetative cuttings in May 2006in Stuttgart, Germany and has been asexually reproduced by vegetativepropagation cuttings and in-vitro propagation in Stuttgart, Germany formore than 60 generations. The present invention has been found to retainits distinctive characteristics through successive asexual propagationsvia vegetative cuttings.

‘KLECA09172’ has not been made publicly available or sold more than oneyear prior to the filing date of this application.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of this new variety when grown under normalhorticultural practices in Stuttgart, Germany.

1. Red flower color;

2. An early flowering time;

3. An upright to cascading growth habit; and

4. A uniformly mounded plant habit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

This new Calibrachoa plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographwhich shows flowers and foliage of the plant. The colors shown are astrue as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographicprocedures. The photograph was taken in May 2009 of a 5-month oldCalibrachoa plant, grown in a glass greenhouse in Stuttgart, Germany.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘KLECA09172’. The data which defines thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out inStuttgart, Germany. The plant history was taken in May 2009 on 5-monthold plants which were planted as rooted cuttings in 11 centimeter potsand then grown in a glass greenhouse. The plants had one terminal pinchafter potting. Color readings were taken under natural light. Colorreferences are primarily to the R.H.S. Colour Chart of The RoyalHorticultural Society of London (R.H.S.), Fifth Edition (2007).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW PLANT

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Solanaceae.        -   Botanical.—Calibrachoa sp.        -   Common.—Calibrachoa Hybrida.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female.—The proprietary Calibrachoa plant ‘X 456’            (unpatented).        -   Male.—The proprietary Calibrachoa plant ‘X 170’            (unpatented).-   Growth:    -   -   Form.—Uniformly mounded.        -   Habit.—Upright to cascading.        -   Height (measured from the top of the soil).—8.0 cm.        -   Width (horizontal plant diameter).—16.0 cm.        -   Time to produce a finished flowering plant.—9 weeks.        -   Outdoor plant performance.—Continuously flowering, healthy.        -   Time to initiate and develop roots.—21 days.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous, freely branching, moderate            density, white roots.-   Stems:    -   -   Length of basal branches.—8.0 cm.        -   Internode length.—2.0 cm.        -   Diameter of branches (from midpoint).—6.0 cm to 9.0 cm.        -   Stem color.—RHS 144B.        -   Texture.—Smooth.        -   Anthocyanin.—Absent.        -   Pedicel.—Color: RHS 144C Length: 2.5 cm Diameter: 0.1 cm            Texture: Smooth.-   Leaves:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple, sessile.        -   Size.—Length: 3.0 cm Width: 0.8 cm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate to elliptic.        -   Apex.—Obtuse to slightly acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Color (both immature and mature leaves).—Upper surface: RHS            147B Lower surface: RHS 146B.        -   Texture.—Smooth.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Venation color.—RHS 146D.        -   Petioles.—Absent, sessile.-   Flower bud:    -   -   Shape.—Irregular to oblong.        -   Size.—Length: 2.0 cm Diameter: 0.8 cm.        -   Color at tight bud.—RHS 64A.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Blooming habit.—Flowers face upright, single, axillary.        -   Inflorescence type.—Determinate inflorescence.        -   Floret type.—Single flowers.        -   Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.—5 days.        -   Fragrance.—Absent.-   Flowers:    -   -   Immature flower.—Diameter: Horizontal: 2.3 cm Vertical: 2.3            cm Color: Upper surface: RHS 46B Lower surface: RHS 63B.        -   Mature flower.—Diameter: Horizontal: 3.0 cm Vertical: 2.6 cm            Color: Upper surface: RHS 46A Lower surface: RHS 63A.        -   Corolla tube.—Color inside: RHS 14B Color outside: RHS 14C            Tube length: 1.5 cm Texture (both outside and inside):            Smooth.        -   Petals.—Apex: Obverse Base: Open, fused into the tube            Margin: Entire Waviness of petals: Very weak Lobation: Weak            Texture (both upper and lower surfaces): Smooth.        -   Sepals.—Calyx (composition): Actinomorphic Shape: Lanceolate            to elliptic Apex: Acute Base: Open, tube fused into the base            Margin: Entire Length: 1.5 cm Width: 0.2 cm Color: Upper            surface: RHS 144A Lower surface: RHS 144B Texture (both            upper and lower surfaces): Smooth.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamens.—Number: 5 Filament color: RHS 154C Filament length:            0.6 cm to 0.9 cm Filament diameter: 0.1 cm Pollen color: RHS            7A Pollen quantity: Moderate.        -   Pistils.—Number: 1 Length: 0.9 cm Diameter: 0.1 cm Stigma            color: RHS 145A.        -   Style color.—RHS 145B.-   Fruit and seed set: No fruit and seed set observed.-   Disease and insect resistance: No particular resistance or    susceptibility has been observed.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL AND COMMERCIAL VARIETYS

‘KLECA09172’ differs from the female parent Calibrachoa plant ‘X 456’(unpatented), in that ‘KLECA09172’ has red flowers, whereas ‘X 456’ hasdark-red to black-red flowers.

‘KLECA09172’ differs from the male parent Calibrachoa plant ‘X 170’ inthat ‘KLECA09172’ has red flowers, whereas ‘X 170’ has pink-red flowers.

1. A new and distinct variety of Calibrachoa plant named ‘KLECA09172’ asshown and described herein.